Steam-trap.



UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

FRANK CORNWELL, OF HUTCHINSON, KANSAS.

STEAM TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 711,828, dated October21, 1902. Application led January 13, 1902. Serial No. 39,548.i (Nomodel.)

Toa/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK CORNWELL, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Hutchinson, in the county of Reno and State ofKansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Steam-Traps, ofwhich the followingvis a specification.

This invention relates to steam-traps adapted for general application;and the object of the same is to introduce into this class of devices aspecific form of leverconnections and iioat whereby a more positive andregular operation will ensue in the separation of steam from water ofcondensation and discharge the latter at regular intervals from the trapby automatic actuation of the con` tributing components, the improvedtrap also having the general functions of this class of` The numeral'ldesignates an upright cyl-v inder or body of the trap, which is formedfrom suitable metal having the required pressure resist-ance andexteriorly screw-threaded at its opposite terminals to receive the cap 2for attachment to a base or, stool-plate 3, to

, which is secured an interiorly-screw-threaded annulus 4, engaging thelower screw-threaded terminal of the said cylinder or body. Thestool-plate 3 may be attached in suitable proximity to an engine orother steam-motor or to any device with which it is desired to use theimproved trap, and above the said stool-plate the cylinder or body l ata suitable elevation has a petcock 5 attached thereto for the purpose ofdraining ed oil or sediment from the water of condensation and carriedby the upper portion of the column of Water. To the cylinder or body awatergage 6 of any preferred form of construction trance of moisturethereinto.

is applied, and connecting with the cap 2 is a steam-gage 7. The valvesupply-pipe 8 connects with a union or four-way coupling 9, from whichextends a feed-pipe 10, having a vertical section 11 passing through thestoolplate 3 upwardly into the lower portion of the cylinder or body 1 asuitable distance. Also connecting with the union or coupling 9 is avertical pipe 12, having on the upper extremity thereof a T-coupling 13,attached by a branch pipe 14 with the upper extremity of the cylinder orbody 1 and serving to admit steam at this point for equalizing purposes.The T-coupling 13 also has a petcock 15 attached thereto for exhaustingthe air from the pipe 12 and the connected parts when preparing the trapto perform its intended function, and depending from the union orcoupling 9 is a valve outlet-pipe 16, by means of which the'cylinder orbody 1 can be drained of itscontents at any time desired l for thepurpose of cleaning, and during such operation the valve in the pipe 8will be closed. The vertical section 11 of the inlet-pipe 12 passesthrough the stool-plate 3 into the lower portion of the body or cylinder1 to one side of the center of the said plate and cylinder or body, andextending upwardly through the center ofthe said plate 3 is anoutlet-pipe 17, having a valve-seat 18 on the upper extremity thereof inthe form of a cage 19, with a central bore for the application andoperation `of a needle-valve 20,]movably and vertically dependingintothe bore of the seatand opened and closed by a mechanism which will nowlbe described.

Within the cylinder or body 1 is a ioat 21, which is hollow andconstructed of metal, the parts comprised in the .construction of thesaid Iioat being tightly joined to prevent en- The top 22 of the iioatis convex, and this convexity of the top permits the float to work whenthe slightest pressure is exerted underneath by the water rising upagainst the bottom of the float, and this construction is a materialadvantage in view of the ordinary fiat-topped ioats, which willfrequently stick until con- ICO siderable pressure is generated below.The v bottom 23 of the float is concave or of arcuate form to provide anair-chamber, which also materially assists in starting the-float to movethe moment the slightest pressure is exerted on the said float.

The convex top 22 owing to its curvature will relieve the float ofconsiderable resistance in its upward movement in view of the fact thatthe steam or air will ride off the said curved top in contradistinctionto a direct impact of the steam or air,which would result against a fiatsurface. The lower concave end or bottom of the float will permit air tobe forced upwardly into the chamber so formed ahead of the rising waterin the cylinder 1 with sufficient pressure to start the iioat in itsupward movement before the water has reached the said concave bottomthereof.

From the center of the concave bottom 23 of the float a connecting-plate24,depends and thereto the upper end of a connecting-bar 25 is movablyattached. To the lower end of the connecting-bar 25 a lever 26 issecured at one extremity and has its opposite extremity fulcrumed to theupper end of a fulcrum-bar 27,having a lower screw-threaded terminal 28fitted in a suitable socket formed in the stoolplate 3, the saidfulcrum-bar rising vertically above the planes of the upper ends of thepipes 11 and 17. Depending from the lever 26 and movably attached to thelatter are a pair of links 29, having their lower ends movably attachedto one end of a lever 30, which is considerably longer than the lever26, the said lever 30 having its opposite end movably secured to theupper end of a second fulcrumbar 31, which is shorter than the bar 27and also has a lower screw-threaded terminal 32 `fitted in a suitablesocket in the stool-plate 3. To the lever 30 the upper bifuroatedextremity 33 of the needle-valve 2O is movably attached, and through thesystem of levers and connecting devices set forth considerable power isgained and the oat is given quite a purchase in its operation.

In the operation of the improved trap the air is irst released therefromthrough the medium of the petcock 15 and the connections heretofore setforth, and at this time the float 21 will be in its lowest position andthe needle-valve 20 will be held firmly down in its seat to close thepipe 17. The water of condensation entering the cylinder or body 1gradually elevates the float 2l, and after the latter has attained acertain elevation the lever 26 is pulled upwardly at its innerextremities, and through the links 29 the opposite extremity of thelever 30 is similarly elevated, and the valve 2O will be graduallyraised, so as to open the pipe 17 and permit the escape of theaccumulation of water of condensation. Through the arrangement of thelevers and the connections as set forth the float 21 will be permittedto elevate a considerable distance within the cylinder or body 1 beforeopening the valve 20, thereby permittingthe accumulation of a largeamount of water of condensation within the cylinder or body 1 before anoutlet ensues,

and as the float 21 gradually lowers with the fall of the column ofwater within the cylinder or body the valve 2O is correspondinglygradually closed. The function of the steampressnre on the convex top ofthe iioat 21 will be readily understood, and the mechanism set forthwill regularly and automatically operate at intervals in the mannerstated.

The valve 20 is elevated far enough above the kstool-plate 3 or bottomofthe trap to prevent scales or dirt from entering the same, and by thisarrangement the disadvantage encounted in many traps as heretoforeconstructed, wherein the scales and dirt were allowed to interfere withthe positive operation of the outlet-controlling valve, is obviated.Moreover, the use of a needle-valve as an outlet-valve'is materiallyadvantageous because of the surety of the operation thereof, andparticularly when combined with the lever mechanism set forth.

In constructing the cylinder or body 1 a piece of wrought-iron pipe ofsuitable diameter can be employed and threaded, as shown, and betweenthe lower end thereof and the stool-plate a suitable gasket or packingwill be inserted to forma tight joint and obstruct any tendency toleakage. The manner of securing the cylinder or body 1 to the stoolplate3 through the medium of the annnlus 4 is also of material advantage inView of the convenience in assemblage that results, and it will also beseen that the several parts lof the device are constructed with a viewto economizing in the instance of manufacture as well as to strengthenand reinforce the trap at points where wear is liable to occur, and thusproduce a more durable trap. For convenience in applying the pipes 1land 17 they are intermediately screw-threaded, as shown by Fig. 1, and,if desired, suitable packings may be introduced in the joints betweenthe said pipes and the stool-plate 3, this form of joint insuring atight connection between the pipes 11 and 17 and said stoolplate. Itwill also be seen that the fulcrumbars 27 and 31 can be easily set up inoperative position in the stool-plate,and when desired all the parts canbe dismembered and reduced to compact form, which is an exceptionaladvantageous feature in transporting or packing the traps in bulk.

IOO

IIO

The mode of assembling the several'parts of the trap is simple and canbe readily understood by any one, whether skilled in the art or not.Between the upper end of the cylinder or body 1 and the cap 2 a suitablepacking is also inserted to form a tight joint at this point.

Having thus described the'invention, what is claimed as new is'- 1. Thecombination with a steam-trap having inlet and outlet devices, thevoutlet device being controlled by a valve, of a iioat mounted in thebody of the trap and having a convex top and a concave bottom, andconnections between the bottom of the oat and the said Valve andincluding a pivotally-supported horizontally-disposed lever having itsinner end mov ably attached to the concave bottom of the ioat and ahorizontally-disposed pivotallysupported lever movably attached to thevalve and connected to the lever` attached to a loat.

2. The combination, in a steam-trap, of a body having upper and lowereXteriorly-screwthreaded terminals, a cap mounted on the top of thebody,a stool-plate having an interiorlyscrewthreaded annnlusstructurally independent of the plate and removably secured thereto andengaging the lower end of the body, and devices in connection with thebody and stool-plate and partially located inthe body for controllingthe feed and outlet of the water of condensation.

3. In a steam-trap, the combination of a body having a ioat mountedtherein, inlet and outlet pipes extending upwardly into the body throughthe bottom thereof, the outletpipe being centrally located and having avalve at its upper end, fulcrum-uprights secured to lthe bottom of thebody and extending upwardly into the latter, the one being shorter thanthe other, horizontally-disposed 25 levers pivotally connected to theupper ends of the said nprights, the lower lever being movably attachedto and controlling the valve operating in connection with the upper endof the inlet-pipe, a link pivotally connecting 3o the said levers, and aventically-disposed connecting-bar pivotally attached to the upper leverand at its upper end to the center of the bottom of the ioat.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature 35

